Exerciser and blood circulator



March 27, 1928.

G. s. SMALLWOOD EXERCISER AND BLOOD CIRCULATOR Filed Jan. 27, 1927INVENTUR 6.5. Sma/lwaad A fro/W15 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED s'ra'res rarer series.

GEORGES. sMA'LLwoon, or rnnnron'r, new YORK.

EXERGISER AND BLOOD CIRGULATOR.

App1'ication filed January 27, 1927. Serial No. 163,878.

front and back portions respecting the body of the user, said bandsbeing of such length in normal condition as to extend from the shouldersof the user to a suitable distance above the floor, whereby when thefeet arefitted within the lower loops of the bands the latter will bestretched under considerable tension from shoulders to feet, and whileunder such tension the user may assume various positions of exercise, 1

My invention comprises novel details of improvement that will be morefully hereinafter set forth and then pointed out in the claims.

Referenceis to be had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part hereof,wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improved exerciser;

Fi 2 is a front View illustrating my exerciser in use;

Fig. 3 is a side view illustrating a different position of use, and

Fig. 4 is a sideview showing another. position of useof the exerciser. YI

Similar numerals of reference indicate correspondingparts in the severalviews.

My improved exerciser comprises two endless elastic bands 1 and 2 ofsuch dimensions as to fit upon and hang from the shoulders of a user,the length of the bands being such with respect to, the height of theuser that with the bands hanging from the users shoulders the lowerloop-like portions 1, 2 of the bands will not reach to the feet of theuser'when standing erect, a suitable length being at a point below butadjacent to the knees,'as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so thatwhen the feet are placed within the loop-like portions of the bands thelatter will be stretched and create a strain on the user from theshoulders to the feet when in an erect position. The bands may be whollyor partly of rubber or elastic webbing. The bands are connected togetherat the forward portions by one or more transverse connectors 3 so thatthe inner edges of the bands are relatively close together, and the rearportions of the bands are connected by transverse connector 4 in aposition to extend approximately across the shoulders of the user. Theconnector 4 is of suitable length to retain the bands'at about over theshoulder blades of the user. The connectors may be of rubber or fabric.

With the exerciser placed upon the body, such as illustrated in Fig. 2,the elastic bands will extend over the'shoulders and over the top of thelungs, creating a strain upon the body from the shoulders to the feet,and the user may move his body in various positions while under strain.During relaxation and extension of the body the strain of the bands willforce the blood to all parts of the body,

internal as well as external.

By assumlng a squatting posture, such as in Fig. 3, ten

sion of the bands from the shoulders to the feet will be relaxed, andupon rising to a standing position the bands will be stretched, therebyexerting pressure in the abdominal and gastro-intestinal portion of thebody, the bands being retained. at the front portion by the connectors 3so as to press against the said regions and cause -blood circulation.The device is also useful in many positions of the body. By having thebands extend under the plantar surfaces of the feet, (between the endsof the toes and the heel), one may assume the squatting posture, take adeep breath, hold the same a few seconds and stretch upwardly, and so onrepeating these exercises, which will force the arterial circulation toallparts of the body. When stooping to relax the tension of the bandsand exhaling, the venous blood is allowed to return to the lungs topurify. The strain at the plantar surfaces of the feet also has anadvantageous effect to aid in restor ing fallen arches. One may walkwhile under strain of the bands from shoulders to The arms may beexerthe bands may be placed upon the front, back or side of the headWhile the other end of the band is held firmly on the floor under thefoot, creating a tension from head to foot, and by pushing the headagainst the band in various directions the neck may be exercised.

Having now described my invention What I claim is: i

1. An exerciser comprising a pair of endless elastic bands ofsubstantially equal length adapted to extend from the shoulders to thefeet of the user uninterruptedly and loosely, the bands being shorterbetween the shoulder and foot-receiving portions than the length of theuser from shoulders to feet When standingerectfor stretching the bandsand creating strain upon the body when the user stands erect, and meansto retain the 20 bands in position upon the body.

2. An exerciser as set forth in claim 1,

in which the means to retain the bands upon the body include connectorsat the front portion and at the shoulder portion of the user,

the connector at the front portion of the bands retaining them inproximity to bear upon the abdominal and gastro-intestinal regions ofthe body in use, and the connector at the shoulder portions being ofsufficient length to retain the hands over the shoulder blades of theuser in use.

4. An exerciser comprising a pair of endless one-piece elastic bands ofsubstantially equal length and cross connections of elastic materialattached to the bands one of which connections is of greater length thanthe other.

GEORGE S. SMALLWOOD.

